The MakeUP
by PH2W
Summary: This a Liason story... my first; we are past the sadness of hit and runs, custody battles and outing of affairs; Liz and Jason and the boys are together and they just had a major blow-out.
1. Chapter 1

_**Of course…blah, blah, blah, blah… yada, yada, yada… **__**No lawsuits please… no infringement intended.**_

_**Not associated with ABC, GH, the Writer's Guild, the creation of the Characters, etc. Purely for the enjoyment of storytelling.**_

_**Nothing strikingly offensive here… this is PG-13… at best. **_**………………………………………………………………………………………………**

It had been their first real argument in a very long time. The house ran like a well oiled machine. Their schedules were just structured and flexible enough at the same time to accommodate most situations and the boys had all made nice adjustments to the new living situation. They had survived his family, her family and family court. They were as the saying goes… On a roll! If either had to describe their lives they would have both used the words perfect. But more often than not perfect did not include her husband's friends and their uncontrollable need to make their problems his.

"I just can't believe you would help her, especially with something like this. Jason she was wrong, but then again when isn't Carly wrong?" Elizabeth was trying not to raise her voice too much in the car, but her blood was boiling.

"Leave it alone. She didn't make me do anything. I make my own decisions and frankly I agree with Carly on this. Telling Sonny would only have made things worse. We both understand how he gets a lot better than you. Why can't you just trust me on this?"

She couldn't believe they were even having this conversation. She also couldn't believe that he had gone along with one of Carly's crazy schemes. "Jason," she placed a hand over his on the steering wheel, "you know I trust you with my life, except when Carly's involved because somehow… some way she always ends up making it about her."

"This wasn't about Carly it was about Michael and I don't want to talk about it anymore." Jason had pinched the bridge of his nose so many times during the ride home from Sonny's he knew he'd have a bruise in the morning. He couldn't believe that Elizabeth was being this stubborn and fixated on something that didn't directly involve her. This wasn't like her and he really hated the idea of fighting with her.

As they pulled up to the house and he slipped the car in the driveway he said a silent pray that Spinelli and Georgie had gotten the boys down and that Elizabeth wouldn't want to argue in front of their babysitters. Hearing the passenger door slam seconds after he put the gear in park he knew letting this go wasn't a real option anymore. Jason hopped out of the car and caught up to her before they came face-to-face with Marco on the front porch.

"I'm sorry you're so upset even if I don't get why, but could we just agree to disagree." He pleaded.

"How is it that you don't get why? You just did it again. You dismissed me. Conversations don't just end or go away simply because you say so. I never agreed to being treated this way." Elizabeth knew her cheeks were flushed and not in the good way. She didn't want to take this inside with the kids and the guards and Spinelli and Georgie. When the hell did her life become so consumed with all these other people to consider? She just wanted to argue with her husband not worry about a thousand other confounds.

"I've never dismissed you. The only things I've ever kept from you are about business."

"That's funny because I felt pretty ambushed tonight. Imagine my surprise when Carly showed up all pissed off about some phone call. Then to have her tear into me about getting you to tell the truth about something I didn't even know about. That's unfair and you know it."

Jason waved to Marco to open the door. Completely out of character Elizabeth breezed by with barely a glance to one of her favorite guards. Jason just shook his head and told him to get someone here to take Georgie home. Once they both entered Elizabeth threw on the charm and refused to let on that there was a problem.

"Good evening Fair Elizabeth… Stone-cold. How was your dinner with the Fashionista and Mr. Corinthos, sir?" Spinelli did go on.

"Fine, look we really appreciate you taking care of the boys tonight, but Marco has one of the guys out front waiting to take Georgie home. You should go with her and see her to her door." Jason bluntly stated taking no notice of the scene before him.

Poor kids were surrounded by brochures for hundreds of must see places all over Europe and were splitting a huge bowl of brownie ala mode Elizabeth left for them. They didn't look anywhere near ready to pick up and leave. And Mrs. Morgan wasn't about to give her husband the satisfaction of running them off to continue this ridiculous conversation. He didn't want to talk about it anymore and she planned on doing exactly that… not talking to him at all.

With a cursory glance in his direction, "You two take your time and finish your desert. I'm going to go and check on the boys."

"I'll come with you." Jason took the steps quickly trying to keep up with her pace at the same time looking over the banister at Spinelli to let him know to wrap it up sooner rather than later.

Elizabeth could practically feel his breath on her neck he was dogging her heels so closely. Staying angry with him was costing her. Giving him the cold shoulder was about to cause her to have to take a cold shower. Damn that Carly! And suddenly just thinking that woman's name was like having a bucket of ice thrown in her face. She entered Cam's room and of course he was out of the covers with his head hanging off the side of his choo-choo train bed. Jason slid past her and gently resituated his oldest and placed him back under the covers knowing he'd be doing it again at least two more times tonight. When he turned around the doorway was empty. Elizabeth was already in Jake's room when he got into the hall. He could hear her whispering gently to him and desperately wanted her saying loving words in his ear. But when she crossed him in the doorway he felt the chill roll off of her and settle on him. Stalking into their bedroom, which had never been the stage for anything but love, Elizabeth played the evenings events over in her head. She had actually had hopes for a pleasant evening as they got into the Denali earlier that night.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Walking up behind her while she checked on her reflection for the third time Jason put his arms around his wife and told her once again how absolutely stunning she looked. She had a beautiful jeweled clip in the front of her hair with the rest of her chocolate brown tresses falling in ringlets around her face. Her dress was a cream knit with three quarter flowing sleeves and her legs looked long and sexy in the shoes that matched her hair color. As his eyes met hers in the mirror and his hand slid down to rest on her lovely rounded bottom, Jason began to lose focus._

"_Mommy, mommy?" Cam ran through the door and jumped on their bed._

"_Hey buddy, what's got you so excited?" Jason walked over and kneeled in front of the 4-year old._

"_I don't know, but Cam please, no running through the house. You're gonna fall down and hurt yourself." Elizabeth ran her hand through the boy's hair and listened as he told them his very exciting news._

"_Spins here and he has a friend." The little boy announced._

_Jason looked at his wife curiously and then turned around for Cameron to hop on his shoulders for the ride down stairs. "I'll go deal with this and you can look at yourself one time. Then please come down. The sooner we go the sooner we're back."_

_He was being such a stinker about going for this dinner. But she was looking forward to the grown-up night out. As her husband crossed out of the room she called out to him, "Georgie is the friend he has with him, so be nice. I thought he'd feel more comfortable watching Cam and she'd take care of Jake and the diapers."_

_Jason walked back to kiss her as thanks for the warning. Spinelli didn't have any close guy friends, except the two odd ones he met on-line playing some game, but of all the screeching blondes he knew Jason liked Georgie Jones the best. He thought she was a good influence on his young hacker protégé. The two had been inseparable since she had gotten attacked in the park a few months ago. _

_Spinelli had been living at the house with them off and on, but since the attack on Maxie in her house and on her in the park Georgie had been staying at the penthouse with him more nights then not, much to her father's annoyance. She felt a lot safer with the guards in place and the high tech security. Sure she lived with the police commissioner, but the attacker had already been in her house once. _

_Elizabeth encouraged and supported the relationship, but Jason remained quiet. He remembered what it was like when he was with Robin and knew that Mac could be more than a little difficult when it came to his girls. But he stuck to his rule of letting others make their own decisions. Spinelli had gotten close with Elizabeth and the boys and they both liked having him around. Besides Jason knew if left to his own devices the kid would live off of orange soda and barbecue chips and it would worry his wife sick. So their "little brother" came and went from the family home at will and they always kept a light on for him._

_Upstairs the reflection staring continued, the surgical nurse, the mommy, the wife… that's what Elizabeth usually saw when she looked in the mirror, but she finally decided that who reflected back to her tonight was Elizabeth the woman and she was satisfied. Taking up her purse she pulled her bedroom door closed and headed downstairs._

"_Wow, you look pretty mommy."_

"_Thank you baby. Hi guys, thanks so much for doing this for us. We won't be late and this little one has to be in bed by eight. Jake's in his crib, but here's the monitor because he'll be waking up hungry in no time. Georgie you have both our cell numbers and Marco is out front in case of an emergency. Order whatever you want for dinner the money is on the kitchen counter and I made desert for you. Cam only gets one scoop of ice-cream no matter what he tells you to the contrary and…."_

_Here husband finally stopped her. "Elizabeth they'll be fine. Let's go."_

"_Stone-Cold is right Maternal One the Faithful Friend and I will be most vigilant in our duties and shall tend to our charges assiduously. Be off to your most excellent soiree hosted by the Fashionista."_

_Elizabeth wasn't always sure what Spinelli was talking about, but from what she gathered it sounded like he was ready to do a great job as a babysitter. She and Jason kissed Cameron goodnight and headed out to the car._

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jason closed the door because he didn't want their voices to carry throughout the house. Elizabeth stood at the dresser taking off her jewelry and refused him eye contact. He just watched her wanting to strangle Carly for once again going off without stopping to count to ten. Walking to the chest in front of their bed she sat down to pull her shoes off. As she crossed her legs her husband came to kneel before her and placing his hand on her raised her foot he slid off the first shoe. Never saying a word, but feeling the intensity of his glare, she allowed him to do the same with her other one. He rubbed her calf muscles and she sighed her pleasure. The sound pulled her to the present and she placed her heel back on the ground and stood up.

"Is this really how you want to end this night? I certainly don't. I'm sorry…"

"The question is what exactly are you sorry for, agreeing to keep Carly's secret or getting caught for doing so. Jason we know first hand the damage secrets, best intentions or not, can cause. More importantly we know the damage Carly can cause. Now, you chose to forgive her for her part in the custody battle with Lucky, but I haven't and I won't. You promised to never have her in the middle of our relationship. You promised to handle her, but you know what, there are some people you just have no control over and I would have thought you would've learned that lesson from dealing with both Carly and Sam." Elizabeth grabbed her mommy pajamas from the chair by the bathroom door and slammed it once inside. Sliding down the door Elizabeth shook with tears making sure to not let any sound escape her lips. She played the scenes from earlier in her mind again and pounded her fist against her thighs in frustration over how things had come to this.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Max had let them into the study and Jason called out to Sonny as soon as they were in the room. Apparently Sonny took to sitting out there waiting on Kate ever since she moved in next door. She was always just a little late assuring herself an entrance. It wasn't done in an obnoxious way, but spoke to the qualities both Kate/Connie shared. That was the reason he never got on her about the lateness that normally drove him crazy with the other women in his life. _

"_Hey Jason, thanks for coming and for the suit jacket. This was Kate's evening so…" Sonny let go of Jason's hand and leaned in to kiss Elizabeth's cheek._

"_I think he looks wonderful. Besides it's nice to see him in a suit jacket and not have the reason being we're going to court." They all laughed at that. The laughter had been months in the coming, but it was nice to do and hear._

"_Where's Kate?" Jason asked._

_Sonny just shook his head and offered to get them something to drink. Jason took his usual beer and after some teasing over her preferred girl's night out beverage Elizabeth was finally given a simple glass of white wine. There were more smiles these days then tears when she thought about Emily, but she could still strangle her friend for coming home and telling Sonny about 'lick, slam, suck' back when they were still together._

"_Well, well the gangs all here already. So sorry I was running behind schedule a little but Clarice called with a minor emergency that needed my attention." Kate had breezed in the room and addressed them like doting fans. She went straight over to kiss Sonny and then gave the request head nod to Jason who was not often open to sharing his personal space with other women._

_When she went to hug Elizabeth she gushed over her outfit telling her how simply lovely it was and how she adored her sense of style. She felt Elizabeth was one of the few women in this town she had run across that could pull off good taste effortlessly. Jason noticed her blush, but knew how thrilled the compliment made her feel. He knew exactly how amazing, stylish and wonderful she was and tried to tell her everyday, but validation outside of your husband often speaks at greater volumes._

"_I'm so excited that you're here because it would be a shame to have these men be business partners and such good friends and not get to know the woman behind Mr. Morgan's smile whenever I see him." Kate gushed._

_Sonny watched in awe of the woman. They weren't living together and had had more than one false start and stumble in their reconnection, but she was hosting like lady of the manor and he admitted to himself he didn't mind one bit._

_Kate spoke with Elizabeth about her work and fashion and Elizabeth showed pictures and went on about her children. Jason and Sonny stayed away from blatantly discussing business, but it did come up. When things turned to Michael and Morgan Jason noted a shift in something with Sonny, but when his friend didn't volunteer his worries Jason didn't pry. After a few more drinks Sonny put on music and he and Kate danced a little. It was nice, Elizabeth thought, to see the fashion maverick with her shoes off, laughing and swaying in the arms of the man she loved. She knew how hard it was to be in these men's lives and hoped their happiness lasted as long as her and Jason's. Guilt overtook her husband as he watched her smiling at the older couple. Leaning in he asked her to do the thing she knew he hated most. She respectfully declined saying that watching was wonderful enough as she kissed him and held onto his hand._

_They had finally left the dinning room and were sitting in the study having coffee and talking when they first heard the commotion at the front door. Jason didn't make an immediate move because he knew Max could handle things. Well, Max could handle things until Jason realized it was Carly on the other side with him._

"_The hell with their little dinner party, this is about my son!" The double doors flung open and in stormed hurricane Carly. "Jason how could you? There's no way Sonny found out unless you told him and you wouldn't have done that if it wasn't for little-miss-self-righteous."_

"_Carly whatever you're thinking trust me you're wrong. You need to stop this right now. You don't know what you're talking about." Jason made every attempt to block her path and keeping his eyes boring into her to calm her down._

"_You know how he is Jase. He's gonna try to take my son, but I'm telling you right now," she directed this to Sonny wagging her finger at him, "there is no way I'm turning my child over to this control freak."_

_Poor Kate and Elizabeth were stunned. Elizabeth less so because Carly had been known to barge into a place, create a scene and leave destruction in her wake. What neither woman knew was what had prompted the outburst this time._

"_You bitch, you just couldn't stand it that Jason was helping me out could you? You just had to interfere? What is this payback? Michael is just going through a phase. He listens to Jason we were working it out." Carly's arms were flailing and she was shouting directly at Elizabeth._

"_Carly as usual I have no idea what you're talking about, but revenge is the way you operate not me. We were having a pleasant evening until you barged in and contrary to what you think your name didn't come up once, because the universe does not revolve around you!" _

_Kate wanted to diffuse, but she had already gone more than her required ten rounds with Sonny's ex-wife and just wanted to stay out of it. Sonny had left her side and had now replaced Jason in front of Carly._

"_I warned you and candy-boy if you couldn't stop focusing on everything else and didn't reel Michael in what I was going to do. I'm done. Now I'm getting this situation back under control."_

"_So, what I was just supposed to come home and accept that my son wasn't living with me anymore. Marisol was packing his things for God's sake." Carly moved right on to attacking Kate._

"_Anyway it's not like you can give him so much more attention with Ms. Howard taking up all of your time."_

_Jason was standing next to Elizabeth and was thinking of the easiest possible exit. However, when he went to put his arm around her she shifted to make sure she was just out of his reach. Kate walked over to Sonny whispered something in his ear and slipped back across the terrace._

_Carly flopped down on the couch crossing her arms and refused to budge. "Well, you better fix a drink because I am not leaving until I make you understand that I am not giving you my son. Jason, don't just stand there, ignore the muffin's dirty little judgmental glares, and talk to him."_

"_This isn't Elizabeth's fault Carly," Sonny stated emphatically. "He's flunking classes, mouthing off, fighting, running my guards like they work for him and breaking every rule. Now he's ditching. If the school hadn't called to confirm our appointment with the counselor I would still be in the dark."_

_Jason felt horrible. He had paid the guards not to tell Sonny about the ditching or the truancy call, because Carly was petrified that Sonny would think she couldn't handle their oldest and take him from her. "Look I'll stay if you want, but you have to work this out for Michael. Carly he is in trouble. Sonny I'm sorry I kept it from you, but she wanted my help and thought I could give it. I tried to get through to him and I thought he was starting to listen."_

"_We all know how Carly operates Jason. We'll talk tomorrow. You need to take Elizabeth home and back to your own sons."_

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

A part of him was furious…with Carly for being a wrecking ball in his life, with himself for allowing it and with Elizabeth for not understanding. He knew a part of her was right though. He let Carly's panic and energy take over and convince him that if Sonny knew the truth about his oldest son's behavior that she'd loose him. Protecting Michael had always been the thing she held over him and the one thing he was powerless to resist. Now he could hear his wife sob on the other side of the bathroom door. She had since gotten up from the door and moved to the sink, turning the water on to muffle the sound, but he knew her moves before she made them. Sitting in the chair closest to the door he recalled all the times she displayed nothing but strength then snuck in there turned on the water and had a good cry. He hated when her tears had his name on them.

When the door opened her face had been scrubbed clean and her hair was still damp in front and pulled back up into a tight bun. She felt a little trapped because she knew she'd have to pass him in order to get to her side of the bed. He was doing what he always did… he just sat and waited to see her next move. No one knew her like her husband and he knew she'd deal with him in her time and her way. But the stand-off was making him just as uncomfortable as it was making her.

She broke the silence. "I'm all done in there if you need to get in."

More silence was the response she received. Heading for the door she thought she'd grab a bottle of water and maybe check on the boys again. She had to get away from his intense glare. He wanted some sort of resolution tonight, and she wasn't sure she could oblige. His voice hit her before she could put her hand on the door knob.

"Georgie and Spinelli already left, I checked the boys and here's your water."

Boy did she want to throttle him. Before she turned around she took a deep breath and attempted to wipe the smirk off of her face. No one knew her like her husband. Letting go of the handle she faced him keeping her back to the door and he finally made a move toward her. She certainly wasn't about to run from him like a four year old, so she stayed put. He put the water bottle on the dresser and stood in front of her with his hands shoved in his pockets. Her breath was caught in her throat. God how she loved this man even when she was furious with him. She had told him once before that even when they were at odds with one another it was always about someone else and unfortunately that hadn't changed. Right now Carly, and her many last names, was the white elephant between them.

His eyes were so intense when he got like this… silent. They were boring into her and she couldn't break away.

He said only one word, "please."

"I can't just be okay with this Jason. If I am then I'm saying it's alright for this to happen again. I'm saying that you keeping secrets with Carly is acceptable and it's not." Still they didn't move. His silence prompted her to go on. He needed her to get it all out.

"I know perfectly well how Sonny can be and I know how he's always felt about Jax, but making choices about Michael has to be between the three of them. You shouldn't be involved. We have our own children to worry about and a Spinelli." He blinked and smirked because even though he was twenty he knew she was right about the young hacker.

"Look I love Michael too, but you said it yourself he's way out of control and maybe Carly and Jax aren't handling it best. And I love you, but your talking to him hasn't made a difference either. Maybe now it's his father's turn to make the decisions. I know it's your instinct to rush in and pull Carly out of the fire so to speak, but did you ever give any thought to what it would do to your relationship with Sonny or me for that matter. Maybe he's wrong to want to send Michael to boarding school I don't know, but I do know he and Carly are the only ones who get to make that decision. And if that screeching, interfering, inconsiderate, bottle blonde harpy gets in my face again I'm going to forget I'm a wife and mother and mop the floor with her."

His smirk became a full on smile. Looking at him quizzically she asked, "What's so funny?"

"I'm just picturing you and Carly going ten rounds. That and I'm glad you're directing that temper towards her now."

"You're not off the hook that easy mister. There's plenty of temper to go around."

The smile left his face but lingered behind his eyes as he looked at her and stepped in closer shortening the distance between them, but increasing the heat. "I am sorry you know. I won't keep things from you that have the potential to blow up in your face without warning. You're right this wasn't business it was personal and it was Carly, so I should have seen it coming."

"Could you go back to the part where I was right?"

"That's the first smile you cracked since Carly burst in at Sonny's. Are we okay now?"

"I don't think you should get off that easy. I think there needs to be a very fitting punishment for the crime."

He closed the space more and put his arm over her shoulder on the door effectively eliminating any distance left between them. He bent down to kiss her neck, whispering, "So what kind of punishment would be appropriate?"

Aw, hell, now she couldn't think clearly at all. Her hand slid between them and she placed them flat on his massive chest. He moved from her neck to her lips and cut off her ability to not only think, but to speak. Hands around his neck now she tilted up and started to back him away from the door. Now this was the way the evening was supposed to end Jason thought. He slid his hands around her waist and they headed straight up the back of her shirt and began massaging her back. If she didn't take a step back this was going to a very inevitable place, but it wouldn't solve anything.

"I need to get some sleep I have an early surgery with Patrick tomorrow. Would you set the alarm for four please?" He was stunned. Was she seriously putting on the breaks and going to sleep. Jason just stood there. There were few nights they didn't make love and never without a really good reason, like sick kids, or one of them not being home.

She finally had her clear path to her side of the bed. He just watched her. Boy she hoped he couldn't tell how turned on she was or how frustrated, but she didn't want him to think that sex was going to be his easy out. She still had some very real concerns about his relationship with Carly and the fact that she could get him to do her bidding on a whim. He was strong in so many ways and he had gotten better where Carly was concerned, but she still knew how to pull his strings. She was going to have to find a way to deal with the situation and she planned on getting advice from an expert in the field… Robin.

Jake's cries coming through the monitor brought them back into the room and out of their own thoughts and disappointment. Elizabeth sighed and turned back toward the door.

"I got it." Jason walked out the door and Elizabeth climbed into bed.

She did need sleep and feeling the way she did she knew she wouldn't get any. She never fell to sleep easy when the other side of her bed was empty. What was taking so long? Jake usually took his bottle after being changed and went right back to sleep. Where the hell did Jason go? Nothing came from the monitor and when she couldn't take it anymore she started to go and check for herself. Then she heard his footsteps. She never said a word, but watched him undress and go in and out of the bathroom. When he was done he took her water off the dresser and went to place it on her nightstand. He knew she'd need it in the middle of the night she always did. Finally climbing in the bed on his side he slid over to his beautiful wife and kissed her on the forehead and breathed out I love you.

Having no idea she was still awake he was startled when she replied, "I love you too, night Jase."

She pulled his arm around her and snuggled in close. It didn't matter that she was angry or worried she knew this was the only way she'd get a good night's sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Elizabeth was at the nurse's station updating her patients chart when Robin came off of the elevator

_**Thank you for all of the awesome reviews and encouragement. I've been working on writing so many different things that I let this fall to the wayside, but I'm back on track. So on with the story…**_

_**Of course…blah, blah, blah, blah… yada, yada, yada… **__**No lawsuits please… no infringement intended.**_

_**Not associated with ABC, GH, the Writer's Guild, the creation of the Characters, etc. Purely for the enjoyment of storytelling.**_

_**Nothing strikingly offensive here… this is PG-13… at best. **_

_**AN: Writing the conversation between Liz and Robin wasn't natural at all (like I thought it would be)… but I accepted the challenge (of the muse)… hope it came off well.**_

Elizabeth was at the nurse's station updating her patient's chart when Robin came off of the elevator. She didn't remember being so adorable when she was pregnant. Robin didn't just glow she sort of floated. Rarely did she complain about all of the stuff women consider the hardship of pregnancy and even with the extra precautions needed because of her HIV status she never seemed to be down. Elizabeth was starting to think that maybe it had something to do with her not so anonymous sperm donor. Elizabeth was the only one, who knew Patrick was the baby's father initially, but Robin did finally reveal the truth to him and even though he handled it with the grace of a bull in ballet slippers he was coming around and things were better between them. Nurse Webber was very happy for her friend. She wanted the wonderful life full of love that she shared with Jason for all of her girlfriends. Somehow it always went back to Jason. She attempted to thwart her own thoughts because she was still angry with him and wasn't planning on letting him off the hook.

"Hey… Elizabeth… nurse Webber… Liz!" Robin was waving in front of her face when she finally focused in on her friend.

"I'm sorry Robin. Clearly I was someplace else. Did you need something?"

"Just a hello, by the way how'd surgery go? Patrick said he asked you to scrub in this morning. It was really nice of you to do it on a Saturday morning."

"I was happy to assist. Patrick of course was brilliant and I still learn a lot by watching him. Mr. Hilleberg will probably make a full recovery thanks to the amazing Dr. Drake."

"I hope you didn't tell him that. Living with his ego is already impossible."

She was saying one thing, but her eyes were twinkling just at the mention of his name. Elizabeth knew how bad her friend had it for Dr. Patrick Drake. She wondered if she lit up the same way when someone mentioned Jason. Then she remembered why she was hoping to see Robin today.

"So Dr. Scorpio I know when I was pregnant I loved my days off. What are you doing in here today? I thought Dr. Trani was on-call for your patients this weekend." Liz inquired.

"He is, but Patrick called and wanted a consult on Mr. Hilleberg. There are a few drug protocols that will help keep the symptoms at bay and hopefully help him gain back some of his abilities."

"And Dr. Trani wasn't capable of helping," Elizabeth smiled as did Robin. "I'm just teasing. You're the best at what you do and Patrick knows it and if it gives him more time with you good for him."

Robin had given in and told Patrick the baby was his, but she was adamant about handling the pregnancy and baby on her own. She would not let him forget his stand on fatherhood and marriage and family. Every advance he attempted was road-blocked. They were better, but no where near a total understanding or agreement. Liz backed off because frankly she had her own problems to sort out.

"Alright, alright… I'll let you and Patrick do this dance without my meddling, even though you know it's only because I love you and want the best for you. But you still have 4 months before I really have to step in, so how about in the meantime you help me figure out a problem of mine."

"Is it Jason or the boys?"

"Worse, it's Carly." Elizabeth came from around the desk and headed toward the waiting area on the 10th floor. Robin followed and eased herself down into one of the red overly cushioned chairs. She wondered how she would get the hell out of it when she was done talking to her friend.

"What'd she do now?" Robin said without hiding her repulse for the she-devil. The hatred between Robin and Carly went back to a time before Elizabeth ever came to Port Charles and not much had happened during the last ten years to change the sentiment on either woman's part. Something in Elizabeth wanted that biased feeling Robin had to validate her own point of view, but another part of her knew that maybe Robin's opinions would only add fuel to the fire and make things worse. Well, it didn't matter because Robin had become her closest friend since Emily's death and she had to talk this out with someone other than her husband.

Jason Morgan, mob enforcer-most feared man on the Eastern seaboard-right-hand to Sonny Corinthos- would put a bullet in you to protect his loved ones without blinking an eye, was up to his elbows in daddy duty. When he had woken up it wasn't to the pleasant sound of his wife's snoring or the giggles coming from Jake's room when she would feed him and tickle his little feet. He didn't hear any of those sounds. What he did hear was banging on the door to his bedroom and wailing coming through the baby monitor. Jason leapt from the bed and pulled on his t-shirt.

"Morning Cam," Jason said through bleary eyes while repeatedly running his hands through his hair. "I thought mommy asked you not to bang on our door with your toys."

The curly hair brown eyed boy looked up at his step-father and smiled then apologized. "Sorry Jason."

"Why don't we go see what has Jake so upset." Cam looked at Jason sheepishly and then took off for his baby brother's room.

When Jason reached the room he dropped his head in defeat. He had no idea how long his wife would be at the hospital and from the looks of things this wasn't going to be an easy morning. Jake was wet from head to toe and had destroyed his bed tossing out everything from his crib onto the floor. With his classic Morgan patience Jason took Jake from the crib and headed to the bathroom, Cameron on his heels. He'd get the bedding handled once he had both boys fed and settled again. Once the changing was complete the three Morgan men headed down stairs for breakfast. Jason put Jake in his high chair and set the tray up with dry cereal circles and sliced bananas. Placing Cam on the counter top he asked what the little boy felt like eating. It wasn't until he opened his mouth this close to Jason's nose that the older man smelled it… chocolate!

"Cam, what'd you eat?" Jason wanted to be irritated or at least as firm as his wife would want, but he really didn't see the harm. But according to conventional wisdom he shouldn't condone this behavior either.

The four-year-old smiled and hung his head in preparation for what he knew should be a talking to and time-out. Finally he answered when Jason didn't say anything else. "Brownie… two brownies."

"Mommy's not going to be happy bud. She doesn't think that's a good breakfast and neither do I, but I guess if you don't have any more treats today it'll balance itself out, huh?" Jason was reasoning with the boy in the manner he used to get results from most people in most situations. Cam didn't understand all of the words, but it didn't sound like he was in too much trouble. Jason took him off of the counter and sat him in a chair at the table with Jake.

Robin sat in silence as her friend recounted what should have been a fabulous evening, but turned into yet another episode of the Carly drama hour. There was a very specific reason that she didn't interrupt the tale as it unfolded. Robin did her best to maintain a level of objectivity. She didn't want to interject all of her venom for the latest Mrs. Jaxs.

"…and I left this morning without saying anything to him." Liz finished.

Robin was watching her, but Liz could tell she wanted to explode. She was only taking her time in an attempt to be PC in her response. Most people couldn't pull off her husband's ability to just sit still and quiet and let the other person exhaust themselves talking.

"Come on Robin, just say it…" prompted Elizabeth.

"Okay, it goes without saying that I despise the ground that holds Carly up, but the best advice I can give is find a way to live with her, because she will out last us all. Jason is after all her undisputed best-friend and the best thing you can do is let him handle her."

"That's the problem he thinks he is and all he's doing is helping her dig herself in deeper."

The good doctor could tell her friend was climbing up quicksand barefoot and reaching down for a hand, so she dug past her surface piss and added, "Jason adores you and loves having your family believe me he won't do anything to jeopardize it, so be honest about your feelings and what it is that you need and stay clear of bashing or blaming. Leave that to Carly. Trust me he can see past it now."

Liz was in shock. This wasn't what she expected to hear at all. Robin should have been the quintessential authority on the bashing of Carly and she had taken the high road. All she could think was pregnancy hormones were making her soft.

"Well, I have calmed down a lot since yesterday. I guess we could have a rational conversation about it tonight. He was really sweet last night and even though I wasn't speaking to him he didn't push me away when I snuggled up against to fall asleep." Liz smiled her sly grin and Robin rubbed her hand and smiled along.

"He wouldn't push you away no matter what you did."

"Which means I owe him as much, huh?"

"Your words… not mine," Robin got, rolled, up and headed back to the hub to pick up her charts with Liz in tow.

Just then the elevator doors opened and a hug bouquet of roses came through and approached the hub. Both Liz and Robin were wondering who they were for, but were both shocked when the delivery guy asked for a nurse Nadine Crowley. When he got back on the elevator both women started to laugh again.

Robin said, "Now you know Jason isn't going to have something that huge and outrageous sent."

Liz responded back with, "And Patrick isn't sure what you'd do with them. But I'm sure he'd fear being beat over the head with the thorny side."

Robin grabbed her charts and headed to her office. Elizabeth finished her notes and made sure things were in order for the duty nurse and then headed to the locker room to change. She was going home to deal with her husband.


	3. Chapter 3

Elizabeth had refused to be driven around early on in their relationship unless it was absolutely necessary, so she got used to having the enormous SUV following her at close range

Elizabeth had refused to be driven around early on in their relationship unless it was absolutely necessary, so she got used to having the enormous SUV following her at close range. She knew all the stunts women like Carly, Brenda, Sam, and Courtney had pulled on their guards and promised Jason years ago that even though it wasn't her favorite part of her new life she would never deliberately ditch the guys or go against them in situations they deemed dangerous. They were all very respectful and caring and giving them a hard time wasn't called for. As she pulled up to the driveway she watched the guys go past and pull around back. Grabbing her bag and some patient files she was going to go over later Elizabeth made her way up her front walk.

"Hi Marco, I hope you've had a break." Alright, so she didn't battle the guards… she mothered them.

"I'm fine Elizabeth I just came back on duty this afternoon. Let me get this for you," he said as he reached for the doorknob.

"Thanks. Oh, and I'll send out a couple of brownies for you later."

Her mood had lightened considerably. Once she decided to talk to Jason and could think about the situation with Carly without seeing red her mental state improved quite a bit. That was until she crossed into her foyer and looked into her living room and saw _her_. Across the room stood her husband, back to her, and she was unable to read whether she was an invited guest or a typical intrusion.

Never leaving her spot by the door she addressed him in a less then kind tone. "Where are the boys?"

When Jason turned around and saw his wife he shot Carly a glare and shook his head almost imperceptibly.

"I said where are my children?"

Jason made like to move in her direction and she held out her hand to stop him. So, he answered hoping it was one that wouldn't make her anymore angry. "Spinelli and Georgie took them to the park for a little while. I…"

"Get out!"

"Elizabeth?" Jason was stunned was she really asking him to leave.

"Carly, get the hell out of my house, now," it was the first time Elizabeth had acknowledged the blonde since walking in the front door.

"Oh relax Elizabeth and unbunch your panties I have no intentions of being here any longer than I have to be." Carly boldly moved toward Jason.

Rock, hard place… and Jason in the middle, he knew only one smart move and that was to get rid of his friend without hesitation.

"Carly just go. I told you when you barged in here this was a bad idea. There isn't anything I can say to change Sonny's mind. The decision is between you two. Leave me out of it." Walking to the door he crossed his wife and she moved from his path without the slightest contact. Swinging the door open Jason held it and gestured for Carly to go through.

Pouting as she went Carly gathered her things and stopped to kiss Jason on the cheek speaking loud enough for Elizabeth to hear. "Call me when the _Mother Superior_ isn't around. I really need you to fix this."

She didn't say anything to him, but headed into the kitchen. She wanted to throw something heavy… at his head; no she wanted to throw it at Carly's head. The pair on that woman always surprised her. Feeling him standing in the doorway staring at her Elizabeth refused to turn around. Time did a deadly tick as they remained locked in that moment. Finally Elizabeth cracked and spoke up her hands firmly planted on the countertop and her back still turned to him.

"Robin said she'd outlast us all. I didn't want to believe her. My heart didn't want to believe that Carly would really be more important to you, but then I come home and find her in my living room. I guess I should thank you for at least not subjecting the boys to her."

Jason walked over to his wife and placed his arms around her. Elizabeth stiffened and said, "It's not going to work this time."

Letting her go Jason went to lean against the refrigerator. "You know I didn't invite her over. That's why I called Spinelli to pick up the boys after their nap. She's scared about Michael being sent away and Carly acts out when she's scared."

"Am I supposed to care what the hell motivates Carly? The woman worked with Lucky to have me declared an unfit mother and take my children away. I like Michael and I know this is probably a phase, but frankly I'm inclined to think sometime away from Carly might be exactly what he needs."

Elizabeth regretted it as soon as the words were out her mouth. No mother, not even Carly, deserved to be separated from her children. She knew that no matter how mean or crazy she thought she was Carly loved her boys and would lay her life down for them. When she left the kitchen and reentered the living room she sat down on the sofa waiting for Jason to follow. He walked in holding a bottle of beer in one hand and a glass of wine for his irritated wife.

"I shouldn't have said it. I'm sorry. Thinking Michael would be better off away from his mother makes me no better than her."

"You don't have to apologize for anything you think or feel. Here." He offered up the wine.

"Isn't it a little early for this?" She questioned but immediately sipped.

Taking a pull from his beer Jason waited for Elizabeth to put down her glass. He wanted to pull her into his arms and apologize for everything again and again. But he understood that right now she needed to be angry, at him and at Carly. He would make it up to her he just wasn't sure how without cutting Carly out of his life completely.


	4. Chapter 4

Jason stood watching his wife finding her silence more unnerving than her rant the night before

_**Thank you for all of the awesome reviews and encouragement. **_

_**Of course…blah, blah, blah, blah… yada, yada, yada… **__**No lawsuits please… no infringement intended.**___

_**Not associated with ABC, GH, the Writer's Guild, the creation of the Characters, etc. Purely for the enjoyment of storytelling.**_

_**Nothing strikingly offensive here… this is PG-13… at best. **_

_**AN: These last few chapters are brief… I apologize. But the brevity allows for more frequent posting. Enjoy and of course REVIEW….**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jason stood watching his wife finding her silence more unnerving than her rant the night before. Once he'd gotten through half of his beer and he watched her put her glass on the coffee table Jason decided this stand-off needed to end.

"Elizabeth are you going to talk to me? Please tell me what you're thinking."

She cut him a look that was ice-cold. "You're so used to living with Carly in your life that it's killing you not to hear my every thought. Do you really want me spewing venom like that?"

Unconsciously she'd begun to wring her hands. Her blood was boiling and hopping around screeching was exactly what she wanted to do, but she refused to indulge that behavior.

Jason hoped invading her space wasn't a bad idea. Taking his place next to her on the sofa he was thrilled she didn't bolt off her seat. She did however, bristle at his touch.

"What I want is for you to tell me what you want. I know how you feel about Carly and I'm doing everything to keep her under control…."

Cutting him off Elizabeth said, "You can't control Carly! You've never been able to control her! That's why you spend so much time cleaning up after her. Time, I might add, that you take away from your family."

"I've never taken anything away from you to give to Carly! How could you think I ever would?" Not quite sure where it came from or why Jason was starting to feel his own anger rise. He adored the woman in front of him. He loved her like he had loved no other and the fact that somehow he had failed to show it all the time or somehow made her feel second to Carly had him seething. Jason Morgan was furious with himself.

Now she did need to move from him. "You will never see it and I'm done playing the suffering wife begging for my share of your unconditional accommodating. It's my turn to make the unreasonable demands."

Turning away from him Elizabeth summoned the courage to be the wife she never wanted to be, but was forced to become. When she turned back around her eyes fixed on Jason with an intense ice-blue stare and never let the hesitation in her voice be heard.

"She has to go Jason. I want Carly out of our lives for good. I want her out your life. Until she is there's nothing left for us to talk about!"

Her words hung in the air like a dense fog. She had finally said it, but once it was out of her mouth Elizabeth wasn't exactly sure what taking that stand truly meant. Was she really prepared to leave Jason? Would he cut Carly off for good? Would he even being able? After pausing to see if she could get a read off him, Elizabeth circled the sofa and went towards the stairs. Jason was right on her heels in a déjà vu from the night before.

"Elizabeth this isn't you. I get how wrong Carly was, but we don't dictate each other's choices." Jason met his lovely wife and as she placed her foot on the first step turned her toward him. He needed to touch her, to allow her to physically feel their connection making it harder, he hoped, for her to turn away from him again.

"I love you and our children, but… I…"

"You really can't do it. You can't imagine your life without her even in the abstract."

"I can't deal in abstracts only with what is right in front of me or with what I've already experienced. And my experience knows… she needs me. Everything you said is true, but I made promises to her and Michael years ago. I can't turn my back on her even if all I do is listen. I was wrong and I am so sorry."

The look in his eyes was pure agony. Jason was the one pleading now. The thought of losing his wife was unbearable and taking his breath away. Elizabeth Imogene Weber-Morgan was the love of his life. If she couldn't see any other way around this situation then he would have to give her what she wanted. Only he had no idea how to go about fulfilling the one request he prayed would never come.

She slipped from his grasp and looked at him longingly then with the slightest tilt of her head Elizabeth kissed her husband in a way that left no doubt in his mind that choosing to keep Carly in his life would end up costing him dearly.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you for all of the awesome reviews and encouragement

_**Thank you for all of the awesome reviews and encouragement. **_

_**Of course…blah, blah, blah, blah… yada, yada, yada… **__**No lawsuits please… no infringement intended.**_

_**Not associated with ABC, GH, the Writer's Guild, the creation of the Characters, etc. Purely for the enjoyment of storytelling.**_

_**Nothing strikingly offensive here… this is PG-13… at best. **_

_**AN: These last few chapters are brief… I apologize. But the brevity allows for more frequent posting. Enjoy and of course REVIEW….**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sitting upstairs looking out the window Elizabeth did everything she could to regulate her breathing. What the hell was she thinking? She didn't give ultimatums and she couldn't really imagine leaving Jason, so why did she get all crazy-demanding-wife on him? Once she took a few minutes to think it through she actually came to the conclusion that she wasn't even sure she wanted what she just demanded. Of course there wasn't an iota of doubt about finally being rid of Carly, but she knew that for Jason that could very well mean losing contact with Michael and Morgan and that wasn't her intent at all. Elizabeth knew for a fact that losing those boys would crush her husband and possibly, in the long run, her marriage.

Finally getting up from the chair an emotionally drained nurse Morgan changed into her at home clothes and thought about what to make the boys for dinner. Spinelli and Georgie would be home with them soon and she wasn't about to order in again. It was easier a lot of nights, but cooking for her family was one of the normal things she liked to maintain. She'd heard the door slam fifteen minutes before she got up from her chair and watched as her helmet-less husband roared off from the house. Clearly they both needed time to process what had just transpired.

Elizabeth got downstairs and immediately went to the coffee table to retrieve the beer bottle and wine glass. It was still pretty early, but she was going to have another glass.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Across town an oh too familiar scene was playing out at Carly's house. She and Sonny were seconds from drawing blood in another battle of who would make the better custodial parent. Jason could hear them from the street as he marched up his friend's walk. Not standing on ceremony he placed his hand on the doorknob, took a deep breath and decided to jump right into the deep end of this argument.

"Enough the too of you! Are the boys at home? If they are you really need to knock it off and if they aren't they'll hear you as soon as the car pulls up."

"All he has to do is get out of my house!" Carly moved toward Jason with the unspoken request that he do her bidding.

"Carly I'm not going to say this again… Michael is finished manipulating our situation to his advantage. The only way I'll even consider him staying to finish school here is if he's living at my house. You wanted a compromise that's the only one I'm willing to make."

"Oh, sure he can live with you and Miss Perfect. I don't think she's really cut out for hands-on daily motherhood." All of her bitchiness was showing now.

"She doesn't live with me first of all and secondly I imagine she'll put in as much time as you do on a daily basis."

Jason knew he had to do something and quick. Sonny just went way below the belt and Carly was on the verge of the mother of all attacks.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

She had delivered brownies to all the guards on duty and she had a mac'n'cheese casserole in the oven. She was also on her third glass of wine. Elizabeth had called Robin while she cooked and the young doctor once again talked her off the ledge. Dr. Scorpio assured her, even though she didn't fully believe a word she said, that she wouldn't have to make any drastic moves tonight to prove how serious she was to Jason. Her friend convinced her that it would all work out if they could just stop fighting in circles for a little while.

The door swung open and Cameron barreled through holding three balloons in his hand. Spinelli came tumbling in behind him calling, "little dude you have to slow down. I don't want the maternal one thinking I've lost control of the situation."

"Two late Spinelli the maternal one is right here. Cameron no running in the house please. Hi guys." Elizabeth finally looked up to acknowledge her tag-team babysitters.

"Hi, Elizabeth, sorry we were out so much later than we planned, but somebody had to ride the merry-go-round a few more times." Georgie jerked her head in the direction of her linguistically superior companion as both ladies laughed at the childlike look on his face.

"Well, I'm glad you all had fun. I see someone may have had too much fun," Elizabeth said taking Jake from the stroller and hugging him close in an effort to not wake him.

Once again the dynamic duo was going to try to have an adult night out sans interruptions, so saying quick goodbyes and no thank you to dinner they headed out leaving the emotionally drained wife and mother to deal with settling her boys in for the night.

She cleaned Cameron up and popped a video in for him until dinner hoping he wouldn't just fall asleep like his brother had. Jake was tucked in his crib and wouldn't be up for hours to have a bottle. Of course this weird naptime would throw off her entire nighttime schedule. As she thought about it her eyes filled and she once again realized how much it would kill her to go back to raising the kids without Jason. He was great with all the middle of the night stuff. He could go for days on just a few hours sleep. Taking a deep breath she literally and figuratively sucked it up and headed back downstairs to finish dinner, a load of laundry and wait.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jason grabbed her arm firm enough to stop her without hurting her and kept her from pouncing. "Sonny you're out of line. This isn't about you two or the people in your lives… this month… it's about Michael. Work this out!"

"You're taking his side?" Carly layered the anger with pouting disbelief.

"I'm taking Michael's side." Jason turned to her in an effort to make eye contact and drive his point home. "He's not budging on this and it's better than boarding school. We tried other things and they didn't work, so you have to let Sonny try. He's his father he only wants what's best."

Just as he finished the door opened again and Leticia walked in with both boys. The arguing was definitely over, but no one knew exactly how things were going to end.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Thank you for all of the awesome reviews and encouragement. **_

_**Of course…blah, blah, blah, blah… yada, yada, yada… **__**No lawsuits please… no infringement intended.**_

_**Not associated with ABC, GH, the Writer's Guild, the creation of the Characters, etc. Purely for the enjoyment of storytelling.**_

_**Nothing strikingly offensive here… this is PG-13… at best. **_

_**AN: There will clearly be no reference to that TMK madness since both Georgie and Leticia are alive and well. I hated that nonsense from start to finish.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Morgan ran straight for his mother's arms as soon as he came through the door. Michael, being older, could sense the tension in the room and made no moves toward any of the adults who were fighting to do what was best for him. In reality he was feeling pretty guilty over the entire situation. Sometimes he just couldn't help coming up with schemes and acting on impulse. His dad said he got it honest. Jason said he knew better and needed to count to ten. His mom said it was best to just not get caught. The problem was over the last couple of months Michael had been caught plenty.

"Leticia could you take Morgan in for a snack," Carly asked.

"Come on buddy I think we still have some oatmeal cookies left." Morgan took off after his nanny to enjoy his treat.

Michael didn't move from the door until Sonny called him over to the couch. As he approached Jason gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze and Carly moved to sit on the other side of him.

"Look, Michael I know you heard us arguing when you came up to house. We all want you to know that we're angry at the situation and the choices it's forcing us all into. Even though we are very disappointed in your choices and behavior we aren't angry with you." Sonny was looking so intently at Michael the boy was visibly shrinking backwards.

Turning to his mom with feigned puppy dog eyes he learned from her he asked, "I really have to go to military school? How can you just send me away like that?"

"Michael _I_ would never want to send you away. I love you so much. You're the center of my love, but I have to think about what's best for you even if it hurts us both in the short run." Carly's eyes filled with tears and she turned back to Jason who hadn't taken his hand off her shoulder since taking his seat behind her on the arm of the couch.

Jumping up and crossing his father Michael raised his voice to a decibel unpleasing to Sonny's ears. "I promised I would stay out of trouble if you just gave me one more chance. You and Jason said you wouldn't tell dad. Now, he's gonna send me away."

"Michael, your mom and I were wrong. Sonny is your father and he has the right and a duty to take responsibility for you. We never should have kept this a secret from him. I've apologized plenty and I think you know you owe him one too."

"Look here's how it's going to be for the foreseeable future," Sonny moved to lean on the fireplace and looked down at his son, who had grown so much that the distance between them wasn't so vast.

"You're going to be living with me until the school year is finished. Your mom and I will work out the weekends, but you don't get to make a move without clearing it with me first, period. Video games and the computer are all on restriction. Plus, there'll be no sleepovers or hanging out with friends for the next two weeks." Everyone waited for an explosive response from the 11 year old.

"So, I don't have to leave… no military school?"

Carly gestured for her son to return to his spot on the couch. Once there she continued. "We want what's best for you without sending you away, so as long as you follow the rules then we should be back on track… _soon_," she emphasized for her ex's benefit. "Michael this is only temporary I promise."

"Alright, head upstairs and start getting your things together bud." Sonny told him.

"I'll be up in a minute to help honey." Carly waited until she heard Michael's bedroom door close. Her glare was unmistakable. She wanted to rip Sonny's heart out and feed it to him in tiny pieces.

"Carly, don't start. You did the right thing… making it better for Michael." Jason was imploring.

"Like I had much choice, I meant what I said it is only temporary and you can believe I'll be over a lot. Don't even think about keeping me away from my son."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Sonny said walking toward the kitchen with a final shake of his head.

"I swear that man just infuriates me! I mean it Jason, I didn't want to upset Michael, but you have to talk Sonny out of this. There's almost three full months of school left and I can't go that long with Michael being gone."

Jason took a deep breath and thought about his own family and everything Elizabeth had been saying to him over the last couple of days. He didn't want to ambush Carly with more than he knew she could handle, so he choose his words carefully.

"Carly it's only three months. I mean right now that's all we're talking about is three months and frankly Sonny has gone a lot longer than that with his son's living here and only having visitation at will. You did good. You did the right thing for Michael. Stay focused on that, please, don't make this about getting one up on Sonny. I can't be there to pick up the pieces."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like Carly I love you, but I know you and anything you do to turn this back to your advantage will without a doubt involve some plan that will back fire and I have my own family as a priority now. There can't be any middle of the night calls for disasters of your own making."

"So, she finally did it didn't she? Little Miss Muffin finally turned you against me. Great Jason, so you're telling me you're not going to be there for me and the boys anymore."

His internal voice kept saying _breathe… breathe…. _"Carly don't put words in my mouth. I will always be there when you or the boys need me, but my wife and boys are a priority now too and that means if the mess you're in is something that you could have stopped I'm going to… look just stay out of trouble and don't cause any trouble. I gotta go."

She followed him to the door and held it after he opened it. Turning back to her he hugged her and once more begged her to be good.

"Jason, you don't have to worry, I heard everything you said. I love you."

She closed the door and headed upstairs to talk with her son before he made the trip back to Greystone with his father. As Jason hopped on his bike he thought to himself… _she heard me alright, I just hope she was listening_.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Thank you for all of the awesome reviews and encouragement. **_

_**Of course…blah, blah, blah, blah… yada, yada, yada… **__**No lawsuits please… no infringement intended; **__**purely for the enjoyment of storytelling.**_

_**Nothing strikingly offensive here… this is PG-13… at best. **_

_**AN: There will clearly be no reference to that TMK madness since both Georgie and Leticia are alive and well. I hated that nonsense from start to finish.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

He didn't go straight home to Elizabeth and the boys even though he knew it was getting late and that she might be starting to worry. It wasn't like they had left things on the best terms and to add insult to injury he'd just hopped on his bike leaving no clue as to where he was going or why. Making this stop was important though. Jason Morgan had made up his mind about his relationship with Carly pretty much as soon as Elizabeth made the request. The problem was he wasn't sure how to tell Carly or how to make the decision stick. Suddenly it was done and it wasn't anywhere near as explosive as he thought it would be. The tough skin, soft heart enforcer only hoped that this new arrangement with his self appointed best-friend would hold. He had driven, fast, all the way up to Vista Point and back before deciding on this stop. The decision was made, action had been taken, and now all that was left was… the make-up.

It still felt strange to ride up to the penthouse in the Harbor View Towers and not think of PH2 as his place. Sure Spinelli had been living there for a while and Jason had even transferred ownership to his sidekick, but when it came to visiting and ringing the doorbell it just felt weird, so more often then not, Jason just didn't visit. Tonight was different though because he absolutely needed the genius' help to set his surprises in motion.

Jason was keenly aware once the door opened that he had interrupted an important evening in the life of his socially challenged little buddy. Spinelli was like an awkward kid brother whose intellectual growth had far surpassed his emotional growth. Most of the time Jason was the patient and protective big brother who made every attempt at boosting his confidence and directing his energy. But, he decided some time ago that when it came to Spinelli's social life he didn't want to be involved. Elizabeth had mentioned the budding romance between him and Georgie Jones and the only advice Jason gave was a simple… 'Be careful and never forget who her father is.'

"Stone-Cold, what brings you to the Jackals newly reformed hi-rise fortress?" Spinelli swept his hand backwards into the room drawing his mentors eyes to the figure of Georgie sitting on the couch in front of a table loaded with takeout and candles.

"I need your help. Georgie I'm really sorry, but this can't wait. Go, get your computer fired up and Spinelli please tell me the extinguisher is handy. There are enough candles to set off every smoke detector in the building." Jason stood behind the desk watching as things on the screen came alive. Then pulling a list out of his pocket that he'd made up at Vista Pointe he handed it to Spinelli. They exchanged a brief look of understanding before the keys began clicking.

Fifteen minutes, then twenty, next twenty-five… when his time in the Penthouse came up on 30-minutes Georgie started to move around the apartment with enough noise to make a point, without being completely rude. Jason didn't do subtle, but he did have an excellent memory and when he looked at her rolling balls across the pool table he flashed back to all the times he had been barged in on for various reasons while he was with Elizabeth. Standing up and stretching he patted the boy genius on the shoulder and walked to the door to take his leave.

"Sorry about barging in again, but why don't you call it a night. You can finish the rest tomorrow… early. I need everything set to go by sundown."

With that the door shut behind his _'boss'_ and Spinelli leaned back in the chair with a mischievous grin on his face. Georgie went to him and sat on the edge of the desk. For a moment they just looked at one another.

"So, now that you're done helping Jason with his love life what do you say to us getting back to ours?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The house was dark, still and quiet. Nothing was out of place. According to the guards it had been that way for the last two hours. A moment of panic coursed through his system causing his breath to hitch and his stomach to do somersaults. Proceeding with the ritual of putting his gun in the lock box in the closet and hanging up his jacket Jason toed off his boots so the noise on the steps wouldn't wake the boys. In the far recesses of his mind he hoped there were boys in the house to wake. It wasn't like she would just take off without someone notifying him… she was upset though and he did not have a good feeling about the eerie silence of the house.

As he passed Jake's room he noticed the door open and that Jake wasn't in his crib. His stomach lurched. Quickening his steps he approached Cam's door to find it was also open and his preschooler nowhere to be seen. The bathroom between the rooms was closed, but he heard no sound and saw no light. Gingerly he pushed the door open and was greeted with more stark cold silence.

This couldn't be happening. With the life that he led Jason had gone over various get out of town quick and quiet options with Elizabeth. The sort of options that didn't leave a trace to the unskilled seeker and Jason knew he had trained his wife well. Elizabeth Weber-Morgan could sneak away in the cover of night with two small children leaving no clues if she so desired and her increasingly nervous husband knew he had given her both motive and opportunity to do just that tonight.

When he reached the end of the hallway there was no light coming from behind the closed door of his bedroom. Sweat beaded his brow and the ever steady enforcer felt his nerves of steel begin to falter. He reached out placing a hand on the door knob and pushed it open. The only light came from the small night light Liz kept in the bathroom outlet by the door across the room because she constantly stubbed her toe on the chair. Adjusting his eyes to the darkness Jason took note of the three lumps under the covers in his bed. His only hope was that the sigh of relief he let out didn't wake them.

Cam was spread across his side of the bed with an arm and leg dangling off with Jake in the middle and Elizabeth on her side curled into Jake with her arm thrown over him. There were several books splayed at the foot of the bed and on her nightstand a bottle, a sippy-cup and a bottle of water. As his breathing and heart rate settled into their normal rhythm Jason went and repositioned Cam covering him with the blanket and kissing his forehead. He smoothed his hand over Jake's head and did his best not to shake the bed and wake his wife.

His Elizabeth… he knew how hard her day had been and yet she lay there looking beautiful, serene, and rested. Her face held no anger or distress and this Jason was most grateful for because he never wanted to be the cause of a sleepless night unnecessarily.

Making his way to the bathroom Jason went to get ready to squeeze into bed with his family. Sitting atop his shaving kit, which was oddly left on the edge of the sink, was a note written in his wife's hand.

_Jason,_

_I couldn't do it. I couldn't just leave. A lot was said, but so much was left unsaid. I bet you're riding around town trying to cool off. You probably noticed I did some obsessive cleaning to accomplish the same thing. I know we still need to talk, but I really wasn't up for it tonight, so the boys are having a sleepover with me in our bed. It was the only thing I could think of to keep you from forcing the issue of us talking it out._

_Elizabeth._

_P.S._

_There's a sandwich in the fridge and the extra blankets and pillows are by the side of the couch. I love you… goodnight._

Leaning over the sink Jason crumpled the note and then unfolded it again. It wasn't an angry note and he wanted so much not to receive it that way. Changing into his sweats and a different t-shirt Jason turned out the light before opening the door and reentering his bedroom. He looked at his family once more and smiled at Elizabeth's note. Even though she was furious with him she made sure he had everything he needed. He made a silent vow recommitting to her that he'd always do the same.

He didn't really have an appetite, but he made quick business finishing the sandwich his wife had left. He didn't want her feeling unappreciated on top of everything else. Washing it down with an ice-cold beer Jason left the kitchen and stared at the couch. God how he hoped this would be the last time he ever had to sleep on it for this reason. As he settled in and finally placed his head on the pillow all Jason could do was pray that what he had planned would be enough to make it up to his wife and prove to her once and for all that she and their boys were his number one priority.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Thank you for all of the awesome reviews and encouragement. **_

_**Of course…blah, blah, blah, blah… yada, yada, yada… **__**No lawsuits please… no infringement intended; **__**purely for the enjoyment of storytelling.**_

_**Nothing strikingly offensive here… this is PG-13… at best. **_

_**AN: It is my goal to write the final chapters for three of my very-stalled stories starting with this piece. Thanks for taking the journey with me and I hope the The Make Up is everything you hoped for.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

When Elizabeth came downstairs she was wearing her game face. The boys were in her bed waiting for cereal and watching cartoons. Once she'd put the television on and promised they could eat in bed questions like 'where's daddy?' were quickly put on the back burner. Going into the bathroom to brush her teeth she saw the shaving kit had been put away and that the note was gone. She wasn't sure how late he had come home, but clearly in her exhaustion her hearing hadn't detected his presence at all. He must have been furious she thought, even though he'd never show it, at having to sleep on the couch, but she was determined to have the rest of their 'discussion' on her terms.

Taking a deep breath at the top of the landing she began her descent calling out to him. "Jas I'm so sorry I over slept but I must've been more tired then I thought."

No response. "Jas, Jason." When she got to the bottom she saw the blankets stacked up on the end of the couch. Opening the front door she asked Frankie what she pretty much already knew the answer to.

"Elizabeth the boss left on his bike like an hour ago. He said not to worry and that he'd call when he got a free moment." After all this time the boys were still light on details.

So much for doing things on her terms Elizabeth thought. If he'd gotten her note, and clearly he had, then he should've waited around to have it out this morning. He wasn't avoiding a thing she told herself only putting off the inevitable. Grabbing a tray the heart torn mother began setting things up to feed her boys. It was when she went in the fridge for the milk that she saw the empty sandwich plate with the note sitting on it.

_Elizabeth,_

_Thanks for the sandwich and always taking care of our family. I understand. I love you._

_Jason_

Making every attempt at swallowing the emotional lump lodged in her throat Elizabeth finished making breakfast and prepared herself to move through another day secure in her husband's love and not much else.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jason Morgan couldn't believe that there would come a time when he'd be comparing his beautiful wife to his often irrational best-friend. But here he was standing in Sonny's living-room discussing the stubbornness of both woman with the same amount of vigor and impatience.

"Jason, man if Kate doesn't leave me after dealing with Carly for three months straight then I'll truly know we're meant to be forever. I know this is what's best for Michael right now, but in Carly's mind it's about her so of course it was plot created by Kate which means now we all have to be punished."

"Hey at least the two most important women in your life are speaking to you. I got home and Elizabeth put the boys in our bed on purpose just to avoid talking to me. I've done everything I can to make this right, but she'll never know it because she won't pick up the phone," Jason yelled as he squeezed the vile instrument of communication in his large hands.

"Look all of the paperwork is in order for the shipment. Go and finish getting your surprise in order. Georgie came over early with motor-mouth to pick up Kate. I guess you put all hands on deck for this one. Hey, at least Kate'll get some romantic stimulation from your life. I don't see us having any in the near future."

Walking over to the double doors out of the room Jason clapped Sonny on the shoulder and shook his head on the way out. One thing was for certain with Carly this focused on Sonny and Kate it bought him some time uninterrupted.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Spinelli… Georgie? What are you guys doing here?" Elizabeth was more than a bit puzzled at their presence on her doorstep.

"Ah, most beautiful and fair maternal one we have come forth to unburden you."

Elizabeth just looked to Georgie with raised eyebrows trying to guess at which burden the frenzied loquacious genius was referring.

"He meant to say we came to babysit."

"Did I miss an appointment? I don't think I asked for you guys tonight."

"Well, of course you didn't that would mean you already knew about…." Georgie started a hacking cough that she quickly recovered from as soon as Elizabeth was out of earshot getting her some water.

"Do you want Jason to smash your computer into a bunch of ugly little pieces? It's a surprise remember."

"Most humble apologies my fair new love I guess I got a little carried away."

Spinelli didn't even notice Elizabeth sliding back into the room just Georgie's odd cough again.

"Thanks. Elizabeth you had plans with Kate tonight. She mentioned it when I saw her earlier. Jason said he was supposed to keep the boys but that he had to work late and would I mind stepping in. We didn't have any plans so… here we are."

"I must be running on empty I swear I don't remember that at all. Since you're here I'll just go throw something on and head out." As she took the steps two at a time Elizabeth called over her shoulder, "Where are we meeting again?"

"Sonny's… MetroCourt," was the joint reply.

They made a second attempt. "MetroCourt… Sonny's!"

"Right, I'll just call her from the car."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kate had played along on the phone fabulously. She had to do it from her house because hurricane Carly was over playing Mistress of the manor and was the last person who needed wind of a special evening about to transpire between Jason and Elizabeth.

The agreement was to meet at Kate's house to start discussing this year's hospital fundraiser. That gave Frankie a legitimate reason for being on the bridge leading to the back roads that went to Vista Pointe. She was getting all tingly just thinking about all the planning involved in this special evening. If every man apologized this way there'd be a lot more arguing, but a lot less divorce.

Jason would be waiting on the other end of the bridge for Frankie. Then he'd whisk her away on his bike to the trailer set with all the trimmings Kate Howard deemed necessary for a woman to feel like a princess.

Georgie and Kate had spent hours arranging outfit choices, make-up, hair and bath products, flowers, perfume, the works frankly and Jason had asked no questions. He just told them to bill him for everything.

That was the end of Kate's involvement and she thought that was pretty spectacular. If the rest of the evening turned out half as nice this apology would carry him through next year.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Frankie is there a problem?" Elizabeth had been in this life long enough to know that just stopping at the foot of a bridge wasn't good or by accident.

"Of course not, I just dropped my phone. Texting the girlfriend you know how that goes. Don't tell the boss I know it isn't safe, but she's been on my case lately and I just wanted to answer her real quick."

"No problem Jason rides that bike without a helmet so texting and driving shouldn't worry him so much."

As Frankie dialed the number preset in his phone the entire bridge lit up in a million magical tiny white lights. Slowly Elizabeth began to register this gorgeous sight. "Oh, my God this is amazing. I didn't think the city did this until Christmas time. Wow."

"It does look like someone went through an awful lot of trouble."

Once across the bridge the car stopped again. Now she was on the edge of her seat. "Don't tell me you dropped your phone again."

Suddenly the back door opened and Elizabeth screamed before she realized it Jason standing in front of her with his hand outstretched.

"I was starting to think this was the only way I'd get you to talk to me. Let's take a ride."

"The bridge… did you do that for me?"

He just smiled and led her to his bike. Handing her a helmet he waited to feel her arms around him then took off down the road. Suddenly it was like they were riding down a winding countryside in Italy as they come upon tree after tree covered in tiny white lights. When he finally slowed down the trailer came into full view. Helping her down Jason dialed another preprogrammed number on his cell and soft romantic Italian music seemed to float down from the trees. Spinelli would be rewarded handsomely. Genius wasn't an accurate enough term for how unbelievable the kid was.

"The road to nowhere is looking really well traveled."

Still saying nothing he took her hand opened the door and even his breath was a little taken away. There were candles and roses everywhere. It was beyond beautiful. There was a rack of clothes for Elizabeth and one garment bag for Jason.

"There's more if you want it, but you have to change first. Kate and Georgie picked out everything I hope you like at least one of them."

She was speechless. "Yeah, I definitely… Jason what is all of this?"

"Milo is going to be here soon so we need to change. Kate said I absolutely couldn't put you on the back of the bike in anything she was leaving for you."

Smiling a smile that almost reached her eyes Elizabeth looked back at Jason one more time before grabbing the dresses and darting into the bathroom. Jason went outside to make a few calls while he waited knowing it wouldn't take him nearly as long.

Thirty minutes later he watched the headlights approach and Milo stepped out of the Denali. Jason went back in to change into the suit that was left for him and listened to his wife hum along to the Italian songs whose words she loved but didn't know.

Another fifteen minutes and she emerged looking as beautiful as ever. Hair cascading down falling on her emerald green cashmere covered shoulders. Holding her hand they climbed in the back seat and enjoyed being close and quiet. The talking would come soon enough. Elizabeth just prayed that the evening ended as wonderful as it had started.

As they came down the stairs to their special spot at Vista Pointe Elizabeth was near collapse at the shear beauty and effort that he had taken in accomplishing this for her. The entire Cliffside looked exactly like the portrait of an outdoor café Elizabeth had drawn years ago when she lived in her studio and nursed him back to health. He described and she sketched. Together they had created a paradise on canvas. That picture was in the basement with so many other forgotten things from their past. Tonight it was here before her in living color exactly as she remembered it. On an easel next to the table was the original. Elizabeth was blown away.

"Did I get it right?" He asked timidly.

She couldn't stem the flow of tears. Thank God for Kate's amazing quality cosmetics or she'd look like a raccoon before the night even had the chance to take off. The Queen of fashion must have realized tonight would involve a fair amount of tears.

"You got it perfect. I just don't understand what all this is for. It's not our anniversary or my birthday. Jason what's going on?"

He walked up to her and took both of her angelic graceful hands into his calloused ones never taking his eyes from hers. "I needed to apologize to you. Hurting you kills me a little each moment I don't see you smile and I know I'm the reason. I just had to make it up to you. I had to show you how important you are to me."

"Jas I know how important I am to you honestly. I was just angry. This is amazing, but so much more than I need. We're gonna fight because that's just what married people do, but we just have to talk it out. I love you so much that I can hardly catch my breath when I think about not having you in my life. It makes me scared sometimes is all and I worry that something or someone might take you from me."

"Like Carly?" Jason guided her to the overlook.

"It sounds petty and small I know, but yes Jason, like Carly. The woman is a force. Having her around is like waiting for a tornado to ripe through your matchbook house. You know how bad the destruction will be and you just want to protect yourself and those you love."

"I told her. I told them all including Michael. I love them and they're my family, but our family comes first… always. She heard me this time. I saw it in her eyes Elizabeth. No more crazy stunts, no more middle of the night bailouts, not more disappearing acts out of town to clean-up after her I'm really done. She's always going to be in my life, but you have to know that you and our boys come first in my heart and in my mind."

"I was wrong Jason. I know how much doing that hurts you. There are people in my life I won't ever be completely rid of and you've never demanded they be out of my life. I had no right to demand more of you." She was crying again her body aching with guilt.

"You weren't wrong at least not completely. Elizabeth I've been picking up after Carly for years and it's time she relied on the other people in her life. It's time she learned how to rely a little on herself."

Taking a deep breath Elizabeth dried her eyes and led her husband to the table. As soon as they were seated a staff glided out of the woods and placed before them an Italian meal that looked as though it came on a ship direct from the Amalfi Coast.

"I know this won't be our last fight, but Jason I promise you I will never ever give you an ultimatum or freeze you out again. I am so sorry."

"This was supposed to be my apology, remember. Elizabeth I do know where my priorities are and you will always be at the top of that list. The only promise I need is that you'll always remember that even when I'm being a stubborn jerk who doesn't deserve it."

"Now that I can promise," picking up her glass she held it out to toast with his adding, "this is officially the best apology I've ever had."

Fin


End file.
